Something Old, Something New
by Shirl
Summary: COMPLETED When Summer is in trouble on New Year's Eve, who will she call? One thing for certain this night will be unforgettable. Season 2 fic. PG13 for Language.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own any part of the O.C. All rights belong to the Fox network.

A/N: I was going to wait to post this until I'd finished writing the fic completely but considering my schedule the next couple of weeks, it won't be done by New Year's Eve so you get Part 1 now. Thanks to McLerran for the muse slap. Guess it worked! I started writing this before the Christmakkuh episode (which, by the way, was awesome! The first show of the second season I loved) so this fic will not deal with the whole Caleb/Lindsay issue and Summer never went to the Cohens' home for the holiday. They haven't reached the point of being friends yet.

* * *

Cell phone. Lip gloss. Wallet.

Summer Roberts snapped her tiny, beaded evening bag shut, satisfied that she had everything she needed. Hold on. Keys. Where did she leave her key ring?

Dropping her gaze from the ornate mirror by the front door, her eyes swept over the narrow hallway table. Nothing. One heeled foot tapped unconsciously as she cast her mind back to when she'd come home earlier. She'd had some shopping bags in hand and hefted them upstairs to her room. Dropped everything in a pile atop her bed. That's probably where her keys were buried.

With an annoyed click of her tongue, she turned around and went back upstairs, as quickly as she dared in her high heels. She was late. Probably more than fashionably late, even by Newport standards. Add tardiness to the list of things Zach's father could potentially hold against her. He already didn't approve of her. She wasn't an idiot, no matter how hard Zach tried to gloss over what had happened.

Bags were knocked to the floor in her haste but she found the elusive keys hiding under a Chanel scarf. One hand skimming the railing, she dashed down the stairs and out the door. Once in her car and on her way, she tried to force herself to calm down. Just thinking about the unexpected meeting with Zach's father made her neck and shoulders tense.

She had gone to South Coast Plaza with Zach a few days before Christmas. She'd wanted to get one more gift for Marissa, something small, and he'd agreed to keep her company. They'd been walking hand in hand when Zach had suddenly jerked to a stop. Her attention had been caught by a showcase of sandals, lovingly on display in all their glittery holiday glory. But she did notice when Zach had uttered those fateful two words.

"Hi Dad!"

Her head had snapped around to come face-to-face with a tall, distinguished looking man. He had been smiling at his son and then had turned his gaze towards her. It had been almost imperceptible, but his eyes had flickered from her toes to the top of her head in just a split second. She'd suddenly wished she hadn't chosen to wear one of her shorter skirts. And although she'd resisted the urge to look down, her midriff skimming top had felt entirely too snug.

"Zach," the older man had said at last. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Same here. Last minute shopping?"

"Your mother decided she needs silver candles instead of red. I've been sent on a mission."

Zach had shaken his head slightly in amusement and then motioned towards Summer. "Dad, I'd like you to meet Summer. The amazing girl I've been telling you about. Summer, this is my father."

"Nice to meet you," she'd said automatically. The handshake had been brief, the blue irises cool and penetrating.

"Yes, good to meet you too. Are you here for Christmas shopping?"

"Yeah. I mean, yes, for my friend Coop…um, Marissa. I already bought her something but I need something else to go along with it so that's why we're here. To shop. I just love shopping. Still haven't found it yet, though, so uh, Zach, maybe we should keep looking?"

Maybe she should have stopped talking after the first word. Even looking back, she couldn't figure out what the hell had come over her. She might not be the most articulate person in the world but even she was capable of more intelligent speech than that. She'd been truly embarrassed and no amount of consoling from Zach later on could convince her that she hadn't just made a complete fool out of herself. It had been obvious by the dismissive look in the man's eyes before they'd parted ways.

Feeling a tingle run up her arm, Summer realized how tightly she was gripping the steering wheel. She had to get a grip, all right. Playing that unfortunate meeting over and over again in her head wasn't going to help. She'd be seeing both of Zach's parents tonight and vowed to get it right this time. She was quite adept at turning on the charm. She'd just been caught by surprise at the mall. That's all. Of course, sneaking some champagne at the party probably wouldn't hurt either. There was sure to be plenty of it floating around.

She should probably call to say she was running late. Keeping one eye on the road and the other on her purse, she managed to extract the cell phone with one hand. Just as she was about to dial, the little yellow light on the dashboard started flashing to get her attention. Her gaze focused in on the gas gauge needle. It hovered over the big red 'E'.

"Great!" she spat out loud. She'd meant to stop at the gas station on the way home from her shopping excursion. Now she debated on whether to keep going to Zach's house or make a detour. Putting the phone down, she drove along and noticed a station coming up on her right. Perfect. It would only take a few minutes.

With her bag tucked under her arm, she stepped out. The cold wind took her breath away for a moment. In her haste to leave, she'd forgotten her wrap at home. What more could go wrong tonight?

With the gas tank practically empty, it was taking forever to fill up. But wait, what was she thinking? She didn't have to fill it all the way up. Glancing at the digital display on the pump, she released the lever. About twenty three dollars worth. That was more than enough. Shivering, she slipped out her credit card and inserted it into the slot. Nothing happened. She tried it again.

A disembodied voice crackled from somewhere above her head, making her jump a bit. "Ma'am, you'll have to come inside to pay. If you want to pay at the pump with your credit card, you have to do that first before you put the gas in."

Summer bit her lip, feeling foolish. Of course. She should know that. But she'd been in a rush. Muttering under her breath, she ran into the store, feeling the minutes ticking by. It didn't take long and soon she was dashing back to her car. Yanking the door open, she tossed in her purse and was on her way again. She was sure her bare arms were covered with goosebumps. She hated that feeling.

"Do as I say and you won't get hurt."

Oh dear God. Someone was in the back seat. Her heart started hammering and she couldn't breathe. Without thinking, she started to turn her head. Something round and cold jammed into the back of her neck, making her eyes widen and her throat constrict.

"Don't turn around," the low, rumbling voice ordered. "In case you're wondering, this is a gun. And step on the gas. Keep driving."

She hadn't realized her foot had come off the pedal. They were at a complete stop. As if it was made of lead and under someone else's control, her foot stomped on the gas and the car jerked forward with a rush of acceleration. She eased off the pedal immediately, barely managing to avoid careening onto the sidewalk. But not before the pressure at the base of her neck dug in even deeper, making her whimper.

"Take it easy, lady! If you try to crash the car, your brains are gonna be blown all over the dash. And I don't wanna clean up that fucking mess so I suggest you keep us on the road."

She couldn't seem to get her breathing under control. It was so fast and ragged that combined with the mad thumping of her heart, she was afraid she would pass out. This couldn't be happening. Please let this be a nightmare. She just wanted to wake up and find herself safe in her warm bed. This couldn't be happening to her.

But somehow, she was in automatic pilot mode and kept driving, even stopping for the lights. Music continued to waft from the radio and she heard the plaintive strains of the song 'What Are You Doing New Year's Eve?' A hysterical laugh almost bubbled to the surface. She was being carjacked, of course. Isn't that what everyone did this time of year?

If she was a smart heroine like in the movies, she would have summoned up some help by now. Signalled an S.O.S. with her brake lights or something equally inventive. But she was paralysed and sick with terror. Where did he want to go? What would he do when they got there? Rape her? Kill her? Why, there were all sorts of possibilities. She desperately wanted to at least voice the question of what did he want, but she was afraid of the answer. Besides, she doubted if her voice would even cooperate. Her mouth was so dry, it actually hurt.

"Turn right at those lights."

She obeyed without question, heading off of the main road. He directed her down a couple more streets before telling her to stop the car. The stores lining the street were all closed, their windows darkened. All was quiet and no one was around, leaving her feeling utterly alone and helpless. Not a good position to be in.

"Hand over your purse."

With a trembling hand, she reached for the small bag and held it up. This time, she didn't attempt to turn her head, ever aware of the gun seeming to burn a hole through the back of her neck. She emitted a startled gasp when the strong, gloved hand roughly grabbed her wrist. "Is that real?" the man demanded.

Her foggy brain couldn't decipher what he meant. "What?" she managed to croak weakly.

"Your ring," he snapped, his tone impatient now. "Real emerald and diamonds?"

"Y-yes."

"Take it off and hand it over too. Actually, just put it in the purse." He leaned in closer, his face just inches from her head. "I'm watching," he added.

Although the ring twisted easily off her finger, she nervously fumbled with the clasp on the purse. While he'd been studying her ring, she'd snuck a sideways glance at him. She'd almost been relieved to see the mask over his face. It was one of those knitted ski masks with the holes for the eyes and mouth. Rather cheesy, actually. She thought thieves and robbers only wore them in the movies. But for the first time, a thread of hope shot through her. She wouldn't be able to identify him. Maybe he would just let her go.

"How old are you?" he asked abruptly.

Why would he care? But she answered honestly, surprised her mouth could even form coherent words. "Seventeen."

"Christ, you're just a kid," he muttered. "What are you doing in a car like this? Wait, let me guess, it must be daddy's car, right? Or maybe he bought it for you. Guess I forgot where I was for a minute."

She froze as the pressure of the gun shifted, snaking around to the side of her neck. Unsure of what he was doing, her nerves seemed to jump and dance beneath her skin, the tiny hairs on the surface prickling

"Diamond on that necklace?" he asked. She nodded, suddenly afraid to speak. "Put it in the purse too."

Rather than awkwardly bending her arms around, she had enough sense to rotate the delicate platinum chain so she could undo the clasp from the front. Biting her inner lip, she concentrated on steadying her shaky fingers and thankfully, the job was done within a few seconds.

"How about those earrings?"

Her hand unconsciously touched her earlobe, feeling the outline of the chandelier earrings. "These aren't real," she informed him.

He leaned in closer, resting the muzzle of the gun just below her collar bone. His nearness, his warm breath grazing her skin, made her want to shrink away from him. But she instinctively remained still, fearful of setting him off, giving him some reason not to let her go. "I don't believe you," he said, his voice low and taunting.

She gaped at him but started unhooking the shimmery earrings. "These would cost, like, a million dollars if they were real. My dad's not that rich. But you can have them." Shoving the last of her accessories into her bag, she snapped it shut and held it out for him.

With the prize in hand, he pulled back, taking the gun with him. "You did good, kid. Now get out."

Stupid. For some reason, she was surprised. She expected him to run off. Of course he wanted the car. She spied the cell phone on the passenger seat and reached out for it.

Instantly, she realized her mistake but it was too late. An arm pressed against her windpipe, choking her, the gun jammed so tightly to her temple she was sure it would leave a permanent indentation.

"What do you think you're doing?" he hissed.

"I'm sorry!" she squeaked, her eyes tightly screwed shut. Icy chills slid down her spine, bursting into tiny stars of sparkling terror through each nerve ending. "I just w-wanted my phone."

"Why, so you could call the cops?"

Her throat was being squeezed so tightly, she gagged, feeling dizzy and light headed. "N-no. I c-can't breathe," she whimpered. She almost cried from relief as he eased the pressure off slightly, allowing her to gulp in air. "I just want to go h-home," she tried to assure him. "I won't call the police."

The wait seemed endless as he contemplated her words. It sounded pathetic, even to her own ears. Of course he would think she would call the police. But she was telling the truth. The last thing she wanted to do was deal with cops right now. But she had blown it and now he wouldn't let her go. Though she hadn't given in to tears yet, she could feel them welling up beneath her closed lids.

"Fine. Take the phone."

She couldn't believe it. Maybe it was a trick. Her eyes fluttered open as he removed his arm and pulled back the gun, though he remained close. "Doesn't matter if you call them anyway. I'll be long gone by then and it won't take us long to strip this baby down. In fact, if I had more time, kid, I'd ask you to strip down 'cause you're about the most gorgeous thing I've seen tonight. But I need to get outta here, so take off."

She wasn't sure whether to feel disgusted or flattered but since she mostly felt like throwing up, she guessed it was the former. Grabbing the cell phone before he could change his mind, she wrenched open the door, not bothering to close it. Unlike earlier tonight, she welcomed the cold rush of air. It meant freedom.

She started running down the sidewalk, her footing unsteady in her precarious heels. Glancing behind her, she saw him get into the driver's seat and slam the door shut. Having a sudden thought, she ducked behind the trunk of a large tree, crouching down, panting for breath. He still had that gun and if he did change his mind, she pictured herself getting shot in the back as he drove by. But he drove off, without even looking back in her direction.

Drawing out a shaky breath, her knees seemed to give way and she ungracefully landed on her butt. She pulled her knees up to her chest, wrapping her arms around her legs. She was alive. She'd made it. The little patch of grass she sat on was lumpy and uncomfortable but she didn't move for the longest time, resting her forehead on her knees. She tried to keep her mind as blank as possible, focusing on what she had to do next. If she even considered giving in to her emotions, she would lose it completely.

The cell phone was clutched in a death grip within her right hand. At long last, she unfurled her fingers, stared at it, and flipped it open.


	2. Chapter 2

Seth Cohen regarded the shining brown eyes that stared back into his. There was no judgment in those eyes, no flashes of contempt. And those ears were always ready to listen.

"Guess it's just you and me tonight," Seth sighed.

Captain Oats said nothing, as usual, patiently waiting for the long-winded story that was sure to follow. And Seth didn't want to be the one to disappoint his faithful companion.

"So I've told you about Alex, right? She's a pretty amazing girl. Smart. Pretty. And we even like the same music. What could be better, right? But I blew it, buddy. I ran off at the mouth one too many times about Summer. Just what in the hell is wrong with me, huh? She's made it perfectly clear that she wants Zach. Zach with his just so hair and his impeccable manners. I mean, the guy is sickeningly perfect. He's like some…some freak robot or something. I'll bet he's never even had a zit in his life. I, on the other hand, have these really large pores around my nose that I just can't seem to get rid of. Anyway, the point is, I had a really good thing going with Alex and tonight was supposed to be great. A little dinner, a concert with one of my favourite bands, ringing in the new year with her in my arms. But no, I had to start yammering about Summer and Alex pushed me out the door. Literally. Pushed me. She's really strong too, have I mentioned that? Yeah, so, looks like I'm stuck at home tonight with my parents for company. I don't even have Ryan because he's out with Lindsay. How unfair is that? But hey, maybe he'll do something to piss her off too and he'll be home any minute." He paused, mulling that over. "Nah, that's totally uncalled for, even for me. He deserves to have a happy, angst-free night. All the power to him."

He hadn't even bothered to take off his jacket yet, though he'd at least loosened his tie. Sprawled on his bed with the Captain placed on his chest, he contemplated calling Alex. Maybe an apology would help to smooth things over.

The phone rang shrilly and he jerked, knocking the unsuspecting horse onto his side. Could that be Alex calling him? Well, wonders never ceased. He grabbed the receiver before the first ring had even ended.

"Hello?"

No one replied but he could hear breathing. Nice. A crank call. But he tried one more time. "Hello?"

"Sorry…I…I was going to hang up. I shouldn't have called you."

He frowned at the sound of the unexpected, familiar voice. Way unexpected. "Summer? Is that you?"

"Yeah."

"Are you okay? You sound…weird."

"Yeah. No. I…a guy got in my car, I guess at the gas station. And he made me drive…well, anyway, he took the car. And he took my purse. And I'm really…" She paused, as if trying to get herself under control. "I'm really scared, Seth. Can you come get me?"

She sounded frightened and he didn't blame her. He was just as scared for her. Swinging his legs over the bed, he gripped the receiver tightly. "God, Summer, are you okay? Are you hurt?"

"No, I'm okay. Just…just come get me."

"Okay." He tried to clear his mind so he could think logically. "Where are you?"

"On Main Street."

"Main and what?"

"I don't know." She sounded frustrated. Agitated. "I'm not at an intersection. But, uh, I can see a McDonald's further down."

"Good. Okay. I know where that is. Why don't you wait for me there?"

"No. I'm all dressed up and people will stare at me. I'm just…no. There's a bus stop right here so I'll wait on this bench."

He was on his feet now. Had already slipped back into his shoes. "Okay, then, stay there. I'm leaving right now. Are you calling from your cell?"

"Yes."

"And you still have my cell number, right?"

"Yeah. Just hurry, okay? It's kind of creepy out here."

"I will. I'll be there in, like, ten minutes. Don't worry."

"Okay." Her voice sounded small but relieved.

"Just hang in there. I'll be there soon."

He hung up, almost reluctantly, feeling as if he was somehow abandoning her by severing the phone connection. But he had no choice, of course. Pocketing his cell phone, he made a mad dash down the stairs. He practically skidded into the kitchen, where he found his parents pulling back from what had obviously been a lip lock. Normally, he would have cracked some sort of joke or just rolled his eyes in disgust, depending on how tired he was, but right now he was on a mission.

"Mom, I need your car."

Kirsten reacted with confusion. "What? But you just got home."

Seth was already reaching for the keys on the hook. "I know but I have to go. No time to explain." He spoke so quickly, the words were practically jumbling together.

Sandy held up a hand as he came closer to his son. "Slow down for a second. I'm not saying you can't go out but tell us what the big emergency is."

"It's Summer. She's in trouble and needs me to pick her up. Can I go now?"

Concern started to colour his father's features. "No, not yet. Tell me what's going on."

Exasperated, Seth's arms seemed to start flailing of their own accord. "I don't have time for this, Dad. I told her I'd come right away."

"Make time, Seth. Because that's the only way you're leaving."

"Okay, fine. She just called me and said a guy stole her car. It sounds like he maybe snuck into the car while she was at the gas station and made her drive somewhere, I don't know, then he took her purse and took off with the car. She's sitting at some bus stop on Main Street, probably scared out of her mind because God knows I am, and she needs me to pick her up. That's all I know."

Kirsten crossed her arms, looking horrified. "My God. Poor Summer." She shared a glance with her husband.

Sandy raised his arm, palm out and fingers wiggling. "Hand over the keys. I'm driving."

Without a whine or complaint, Seth handed them over, feeling a strange combination of annoyance and relief. His dad would know what to do. He always did.

As they hurried out of the kitchen, his mother's voice called after them. "Call me when you find her."

They moved quickly and were on their way in no time. Seth described the approximate location of where Summer should be. He noticed his father was driving a little faster than usual but not excessively so. Had Seth been behind the wheel, he probably would have been burning rubber. Of course, a dead Seth wrapped around a tree wouldn't be of much help to anyone. Perhaps this had been for the best.

Seth dug out his cell phone and searched the directory for Summer's number. He'd meant to delete it but just hadn't gotten around to it yet. Or maybe he just hadn't been able to do it, period. Funny that his number was still programmed into her phone too.

Raising the device to his ear, he expected to hear ringing but instead, it went straight to her voicemail. His eyebrows knitted together as he tried it again. "I'm just getting voicemail," he muttered.

"What's that?" Sandy asked.

Seth spoke a little louder. "It's just going straight to voicemail."

"Maybe she's talking to someone."

"Maybe. I'm sure she wouldn't have turned it off. Dad, what if the guy came back? Maybe she's in trouble. Could you go a little faster, please? You're driving like Mom." He didn't even care when a wounded look was cast in his direction.

"Tell me you did not just compare my driving to your mother's."

"I did. You, Mom and little old ladies. I'm lumping you all into the same category."

"I know what you're trying to do and it's not going to work. I'm going almost twenty over the limit as it is."

Seth threw up his hands in frustration as the car coasted to a stop at the light. "Why are we stopping? You totally could have made it through that yellow light if you'd sped up a little more. Honestly, Dad…"

"Seth!"

He recognized that tone of voice. His father's boundaries of patience ran far and wide but Seth had just inched over that imaginary line. He meekly shut his mouth and resorted to peeking at his father from beneath his lashes.

"I know you're worried about Summer," Sandy continued, his voice considerably lower than the previous bark. "So am I. But trying to save ourselves a couple of minutes and getting into an accident isn't going to help. You know that. So cool it, okay?"

"Okay. Sorry."

"We'll be there soon," Sandy assured him.

Seth tried the phone a couple more times but gave up, resorting to staring out the window instead. Though it seemed to take forever, he could finally see the glowing yellow arches in the distance.

He pointed down the street. "There's the McDonalds. She's around here somewhere."

Sandy eased off the gas and as the car slowed, they both started scanning the sidewalk. "Do you know which side she's on?" he asked.

"No. There! There, I see her, just up ahead."

It was an odd sight to see her sitting at the bus stop with hair upswept and dressed in a silvery creation that flattered her curves. The words 'bus stop' and 'Summer Roberts' just didn't belong in the same phrase.

Seth jumped out before the car had even come to a complete stop. "Summer!" he called out.

She was already on her feet and taking a hesitant step forward. He covered the distance more quickly and gave her a hug, feeling the chill of her skin. She said nothing but rested her head against his shoulder for a moment. "You're freezing," he said. Shrugging out of his jacket, he placed it around her shoulders.

Sandy had joined them now and regarded her with open concern. "Are you all right?"

She blinked, looking surprised to see him. "Mr. Cohen. Yeah, I'm okay."

"Have you called your father yet? The police?"

"No. My father's in Europe with my step-mom. Ski trip. And no, I haven't called the police."

"I'll call them," Sandy offered, already reaching for the phone on his belt.

"Do you have to?"

He paused, hand at his waist. "Yeah, we have to." Though his tone was firm, it was gentle. "We can't just ignore this. You were carjacked, right? That's a federal crime. And if he forced you to drive somewhere, that's kidnapping. Did he…hurt you in any other way?"

"No."

"Okay. Honey, I know how scary this all seems but don't worry. Seth and I are staying right here with you."

As Sandy started making the call, Seth shot a grateful look in his direction. His father's presence was actually comforting. If he'd come by himself, he probably would have started freaking out and that was not the reaction Summer needed right now.

"You want to sit in the car?" he asked. "It's warmer."

She shook her head. "I'm okay with your jacket on. Unless you're cold."

"No, I'm fine. But I'm not the one in a fancy dress. Guess you were going to a party?"

With huge, rounded eyes, she covered her mouth with one hand. "Oh my God! I forgot about Zach. He'll be wondering where I am. Can I use your phone?"

With great willpower, Seth suppressed a sigh. Zach. Of course. He handed over his cell. "What's wrong with yours?"

"Battery died."

"Ahhh." That would explain the voicemail. Though his natural instinct was to eavesdrop, he stepped back while she turned away to make the call. Instead, he hovered by Sandy's side, listening in on his conversation.

"…no, we're just west of that. That's right, across the street from the McDonald's. So how long before someone gets here? All right, we'll be here."

Snapping the phone shut, he gave Seth a bemused look. "You can always count on the arches to be a landmark, even in Newport." He flicked his head in Summer's direction. "How is she doing?"

Seth shrugged one shoulder. "Okay, I guess. Not that we've had a real in-depth conversation." Actually, something did seem off about how she was acting but he couldn't put a finger on it. Maybe it was simply her lack of reaction when he'd arrived on the scene. It sounded stupid, but he'd figured she'd jump into his arms or something.

"Who is she calling?"

He didn't bother to hide the grimace. "Zach."

Sandy gave a knowing nod. "Ahhh."

With silence between them now, Seth couldn't help but overhear what Summer was saying, even though her back was turned.

"…don't have to do that. No, they're both here. But, Zach. Okay. Okay, yes. I will. Bye."

"Is he coming?" Seth asked, trying to make his inquiry sound casual.

"Yeah."

Well, Zach was her boyfriend after all. Hang on a second. Seth stiffened as the thought hit him. He couldn't believe the question had escaped him before this. Why had Summer called him first instead of Zach? She had actually forgotten about her boyfriend until Seth had mentioned the party. There had to be some significance to that little fact. Perhaps there was some reasonable explanation but for now, he could revel just a teensy bit in feeling superior. It was probably the one and only time he'd get the upper hand compared to that guy.

"Cohen?"

He glanced down to find Summer holding out his phone with a slightly impatient expression.

"Yeah, sorry." As she tilted her head away from him, he noticed a strange mark on her right temple. "Hey, what is that?"

"What?"

When he gently brushed the round bruise with one finger, she brought her own hand up halfway, then dropped it. "It actually left a mark?" She sounded faintly surprised.

Sandy leaned in for a look. "He held a gun to your head." It was a statement, not a question.

Seth's stomach churned at the thought, though Summer and his father seemed to be taking it in stride. "You didn't tell me that," Seth said quietly.

"Oh. Didn't I?"

She sounded vague and uncaring and again, it struck him as odd.

He shifted his gaze to Sandy, hoping his dad would step in again. He wasn't disappointed.

"Summer, I haven't been barraging you with questions because you'll just have to go over it again with the police. But you have to tell them everything. They'll ask you about weapons anyway. And even a detail you think is insignificant might be important." He rubbed her shoulder reassuringly. "I know talking about what happened will be upsetting but we'll be right here."

"I know. I'm fine. Really."

She turned and walked back to the bench. Seth watched her for a moment, shaking his head slightly. "How can she be fine?" he said under his breath. He was mostly making the comment to himself but his father actually replied, his voice low.

"I'm sure it was a traumatic experience but people deal with these things in different ways. Just because she seems calm doesn't mean she's fine."

"I don't even know what to say to her."

"You're here. That's enough. If she wants to talk, she'll come to you. She did call you, after all."

Seth stuck his hands in his pockets. Shuffled his feet. "But now Zach's coming."

"Well, she called you first. That's gotta count for something."

Seth almost smiled, glad to know he wasn't the only one who had noticed. "So how long before the police get here?"

"There's a patrol car in the area so it should be any minute now."

A minute stretched into ten. Summer remained on the bench, legs crossed demurely and hugging the jacket to herself. As Sandy remembered to call Kirsten, Seth sat down beside his ex-girlfriend. He offered her a blanket from the car but she shook her head. Although he had a hundred questions and longed to put an arm around her, he verbalized nothing and kept his hands in his lap.

"Did I say thank you?" she asked abruptly.

"Um, no. I don't think so."

"Well, thanks. For coming. I don't even know why I called you."

He perked up at the perfect opening that statement provided. "Yeah, about that…"

But their attention was diverted by the flashing blue and red lights of the police cruiser that pulled ahead of the Range Rover, right in front of the bench. Two male officers stepped out and introduced themselves. Just as they began questioning Summer, another car pulled up to the curb. It was becoming a regular parking lot.

Zach, with his hair just so and looking natty in a tux, hopped out of the car and ran over, enveloping Summer in a crushing hug. "Are you all right? God, I can't believe this happened. You're okay?"

Summer accepted the hug initially and then appeared to be trying to wiggle out of it. Or maybe that was just Seth's skewed perspective.

"I'm okay," she said, when finally released from his arms.

Officer Mueller coughed, his pen hovering over his report while his partner, Officer Petoskey, looked on with a bored expression. "Hate to break this up, but can we continue?" Mueller asked.

"Yeah. Sorry."

As Zach stepped aside, his gaze connected with Seth's. He nodded. "Seth."

"Zach."

Seth nodded back. Although he was trying to hang onto that slight upper margin of superiority, he could feel it slipping away. Mr. Perfect Boyfriend was here now. Mr. Dorko Ex-boyfriend's services were no longer required. Out with the old. In with the new. Pretty fitting for New Year's Eve.

* * *

A/N: Of course Summer called Seth. I wouldn't have it any other way :-) Hope you enjoyed it.

Thanks to famous99 for patiently indulging me in a discussion of pumping gas in the US versus Canada. I think we were both surprised by what we discovered. And thanks to all the reviewers. I look forward to each comment! Happy Holidays everyone.


	3. Chapter 3

Summer clung to the warm comfort of Seth's jacket, pulling it more tightly around her. Though she really wanted to throw it over her head, she imagined that might invite even deeper stares than she was receiving now. Five pairs of eyes were fixed on her and although she usually relished being at the centre of attention, she currently longed to hide under the nearest rock.

It was taking a long time to tell her story. The officer taking the notes interrupted quite a bit to ask questions. So far, he was the only one doing the talking. The other one, Pete-something, frankly looked like he'd rather be somewhere else.

She had just described what had happened at the gas station and continued on. "So I got in the car and started down the street when I heard his voice behind me."

Yet again, Officer Mueller cut in. "Let's back up a second. So you went inside to pay. Did you take the keys with you?"

Frowning, she cast her mind back. It had been cold. She'd been in a rush. "No, I guess not."

The other officer, Petoskey, had a voice after all. And it was heavily laced with scorn. "So you left the door unlocked."

"Yes," she admitted.

"Summer, how could you?"

That voice belonged to Zach. She raised her eyes to his, at a loss in how to respond to that. Yes, she'd been an idiot. She obviously hadn't been thinking. Was it necessary for him to rub it in?

"A very foolish move, Miss Roberts," Mueller agreed, seemingly only too happy to jump on the bandwagon. "That's just an invitation for trouble."

Zach was literally shaking his head. "You've got to be more careful," he admonished.

While a stinging retort was on the tip of her tongue, she bit her lip and held it back. She hated being chastised like a two-year-old but pouting wasn't going to help matters.

"Hey, guys, why don't you back off?" Seth said sharply. "I'm sure Summer feels bad enough as it is without being ganged up on." As heads swivelled to glare at him, he shrunk back slightly. "Just, um, stating my opinion," he mumbled. "Carry on."

Glad that someone was in her corner, she conveyed a thankful look in his direction before turning her attention back to the officers. There wasn't a whole lot she could tell them that would be helpful. He had been wearing a mask and gloves. Every inch of him had been covered up so she couldn't describe any distinguishing marks. She couldn't even say what colour his eyes were; she'd been too scared to look that closely. The type of gun he'd had? Yeah, no clue. She did mention that he'd asked her age and had been surprised by the answer. From that point on, he'd kept calling her 'kid' so he was older. But she certainly couldn't put him in any age category. Twenties? Forties? No idea.

"Not much to go on, that's for sure," Mueller remarked, closing his notebook. "Do you think you can guide us to where he made you drive and stop the car? We'd like to check out the scene."

"I think so," Summer replied.

Petoskey opened the back door of the cruiser and motioned with his head. "Hop in."

She hesitated, balking at going alone for some reason. "By myself?"

"I'll come," Zach offered.

Mueller pointed towards Zach's car with his pen. "Sorry, you've got to move that vehicle. Can't leave it here at the bus stop."

"Dad…?" Seth said, his voice rising on the unspoken question.

Sandy nodded, waving him on. "You go with Summer. Zach and I will follow behind."

As Seth clambered in, looking suspiciously gleeful, Summer went to Zach. "It's okay, you know, you don't have to come. I appreciate it and everything but shouldn't you get back to the party?"

She was so accustomed to his even temper, the obvious spark of annoyance in his tone surprised her. "Why, don't you want me to come?"

"Of course I do but I just thought…"

"I don't care about the damn party, Summer. I want to be here with you."

"Okay. Thank you."

He leaned down to kiss her cheek. "I'll see you there."

Summer climbed into the back next to Seth, who was practically bouncing on the seat. "You're enjoying this, aren't you," she stated wryly.

He didn't bother to deny it. "It's kind of cool, yeah. Probably the one and only time I'll be in one of these. Unless I get arrested sometime but considering my lack of delinquency status thus far, that's highly unlikely."

Summer directed the officers down Main Street, hoping that she would remember the route she'd been forced to take. It hadn't been too convoluted so she was pretty confident she'd get it right. As she sat back in the seat, Seth slid forward, getting Petoskey's attention. "Hey, do you think you could turn on the siren? Just for a little bit?"

She thought Seth's request would be ignored but the blaring whoop of the siren startled her, making her flinch. It lasted for less than ten seconds but Seth grinned from ear to ear. Amused in spite of herself, she said affectionately, "Dork."

At least his antics were taking her mind off the matter at hand and she was content to have his company. Zach probably would have lectured her about proper safety precautions. She frowned as that thought raced through her mind, making her feel remorseful. Zach meant well. He cared about her. She already felt guilty enough for having called Seth first instead of Zach. What had she been thinking?

After a few more minutes and one wrong turn, she recognized the tree that she had ducked behind. "Just up here," she said. "That's where we stopped."

Everyone got out of their respective cars and stood around. Summer answered a few more questions from Mueller while Petoskey checked out the area, walking halfway down the block. She supposed she could understand why they'd want to see this spot for themselves but again, she didn't think it would help much. No one had been around. Not that she'd noticed, anyway.

At last, Mueller seemed to be wrapping things up. "Okay, Miss Roberts. I think that's all we need for now. We'll stay behind and check the vicinity a little more thoroughly."

"How about the gas station cashier?" Sandy spoke up.

"We'll interview him too. He might have seen something. Since your house keys were taken, I suggest you stay elsewhere for the time being. With your parents out of the country, I imagine you won't get the locks changed until they get back. I don't mean to scare you. It's just a precaution. Nine times out of ten, these guys are just looking to make fast money with the car. They usually don't try to break into homes too."

Mueller asked if Summer had any questions but she couldn't think of any. She was just relieved this was coming to a close. As Sandy took the officer aside, she saw him hand over his business card.

Zach put an arm around her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You should stay with me," he suggested.

She started to reply when Sandy came back and made his own offer. "You're welcome to stay with us, Summer."

Now she had a choice to make. An internal monologue seemed to erupt in her brain. It would be logical to stay with Zach. He was her boyfriend now, after all. But she'd only had that brief, unfortunate encounter with his father. She'd never even met Zach's mother. How would they react to this unexpected situation? She imagined they would be outwardly polite to her but later, berate their son for bringing her home. On the other hand, taking up her ex-boyfriend's father's offer didn't seem right either. Maybe Mr. Cohen was just being polite. But no, she suspected he actually cared about her well-being. He'd always been genuinely nice to her. Mrs. Cohen too. So which home would Summer feel more comfortable in? The answer was a no brainer, actually.

Tilting her head, she tugged on Zach's arm. "Could I talk to you a minute?"

He obliged by walking with her a short distance down the sidewalk until she stopped and faced him. "You're staying with Seth, aren't you," he said flatly.

"Not with Seth. His parents."

"There's a difference?"

"I would just feel more comfortable there. I know the Cohens."

"Well, this would be the perfect opportunity to get to know my parents. You've already met my dad."

"Yeah, and look how well that turned out," she scoffed.

He closed his eyes briefly, but not before she glimpsed the exasperation in them. "Let's not get into that again. I don't understand why Seth and his father are even here. You called them first and I was an afterthought. What's going on?"

He was right. He had every right to be upset with her. But how could she possibly explain it to him when she hadn't begun to analyse it herself? She gripped the edges of the smooth jacket, feeling the material bunch beneath her curled fingers. "I don't know. I don't know, Zach. I'm sorry. Sorry I can't explain it to you. Sorry I didn't call you first. Sorry I left the stupid car door unlocked. All I want to do is go home but I can't even do that. I'm cold and tired and if I can't go home, I just want to be somewhere familiar, okay? Is that all right with you?"

She hated herself for sounding bitchy in front of him but she couldn't seem to stem the flow of words streaming from her mouth. Even worse, she could feel the thickening lump in her throat and the threat of tears in her eyes. Blinking rapidly, she tried to keep them at bay, determined not to deteriorate into a blubbering crying jag.

His face twisted with regret as he gathered her into his arms. "Don't apologize," he murmured. "I'm the one who's sorry. I came here to support you and I'm acting like a complete ass. Forgive me?"

She breathed a sigh, leaning into his embrace and absorbing comfort from his solid strength. "It doesn't matter."

"It does. But the main thing is for you to feel safe and if that's with the Cohens, that's where you should be."

He walked her back to where the Cohen men were waiting. Giving her a chaste kiss, he stroked her cheek with his thumb. "I'll call you tomorrow, okay? You look beautiful, by the way. I wish we could have danced until midnight."

She tried to return his smile but it was wobbly and not very convincing. Zach shifted his gaze to Sandy. "Thanks for taking care of her, Mr. Cohen. And Seth," he added.

"It's our pleasure, Zach. Happy New Year," Sandy said. They shook hands briefly.

Seth and Zach regarded each other warily, their discomfort obvious. Zach stuck out his hand first and Seth accepted the handshake without hesitation.

"Happy New Year," Zach said. Though he undoubtedly tried to sound sincere, it came out forced and rather stiff.

Seth nodded. "Same to you."

Summer watched the whole exchange, almost wincing at the painfulness. This all could have been avoided if she'd called Zach first. Sure, she would have had to go home with him but she could have managed. Why had she turned to Seth? This was all his fault. She wasn't sure how exactly, but somehow it was his fault. Maybe he had one of those voodoo dolls at home with her name on it and he'd been sticking pins in her. Made her do strange things out of her control. She wouldn't put it past him.

With a final wave to Zach, she got into the back of the Range Rover as Sandy held the door open for her. He started to close it but then stopped.

"I just thought of something, Summer. You had at least one credit card in your purse. You should let them know the cards have been stolen. We could stop by your house and get the information. Give them a call when we get back to our place."

She hadn't thought of that. "I just had the one card. But it's almost at the limit anyway. I don't…don't really care about that now. Can we just go to your house?"

He didn't lecture her. Didn't question her. Simply bobbed his head in the affirmative and said, "Sure."

The car ride was smooth and quiet. Seth turned to look back at her a couple of times but said nothing. The lack of babble was unlike him and she had no idea what he was thinking. Not that she cared, she reminded herself. What was in that dorky head of his was the least of her worries. She'd long given up trying to understand him. At least since that day he'd sailed off on his boat and left her alone.

Stepping through the front door of the Cohens' home, she was immediately greeted by Kirsten, who pulled her into a hug. "I'm so sorry, sweetie. How are you holding up?"

As Summer pulled back and looked up at the older woman, she almost burst into tears from the kindness and compassion etched in every line of Kirsten's face. She was five years old again and longing for the softness and warmth of her mother's arms.

Swallowing hard, she cleared her throat before speaking. "Could I take a bath?"

If Kirsten thought the request was strange, she didn't show it. "Of course. Sandy told me you'd be staying so I've laid out some pyjamas for you. They'll be a little big but they're comfy. Come on." With an arm around her shoulder, she started steering Summer away.

Summer abruptly stopped in her tracks and swung around. "I almost forgot," she said, shrugging out of Seth's jacket and handing it over to him. "Thanks."

Turning her back to him, she found herself under Kirsten's wing once more. As they headed towards the stairs, she could sense Seth's eyes trailing after her. It wasn't unlike the way he watched her at school when he thought she was unaware of his presence. Slightly stalkerish but sweet.

What she wanted right now more than anything was a long soak in the tub. She'd always found it a great way to relieve stress. The tension would slowly ebb away from her muscles, leaving her calm and clear headed. Hopefully, it would also help her energy start vibrating at a higher frequency. It was in quite a slump at the moment. Though her mind was a jumble of thoughts, she wasn't quite ready to deal with what had happened tonight. Bath first. Then, maybe, she'd be ready to deal.

* * *

A/N: Judging from some reviews, Zach is not a popular guy! Yeah, I don't like him much either. He's just so...meh. Anyway, I don't have much to say except a big 'thank you' once again to my lovely reviewers. I have a whole week off work but every day seems to be booked up with something. Let's hope I get some time for writing. 


	4. Chapter 4

He almost barged right in but caught himself at the last second. It was Summer in there. Not Ryan.

Seth rapped his knuckles on the door of the pool house and waited until he heard a response.

"Who is it?"

"It's me," he replied.

After a few seconds, the door swung open. As he breezed past her, he said, "So what's up?" He made himself at home on a corner of the bed. "Ahh, a little bedtime reading, I see. What are you reading?" Before she could even answer, he reached out to scan one of the open glossy pages spread out on the bed.

"Nothing. Just some magazines your mom gave me." Summer padded across the floor and sat down on the bed, legs crossed beneath her.

He couldn't help noticing how young she looked. With her face freshly scrubbed and hair gathered into a careless ponytail, she didn't look a day over twelve. It didn't help that both the cuffs and hem of the borrowed pyjamas were rolled up, as if she was still growing into them.

"There's just half an hour to go until midnight. We're watching Regis do his thing, which isn't pretty. It's just not the same without Dick. Why don't you join us?" he suggested.

"I don't think so. I'm pretty tired. I was just thinking of turning in."

"Oh. We've got plenty of food. Little appetizery stuff and leftover Chinese. In the mood for mu shu?"

"No thanks."

This was even more difficult than he'd anticipated. Though his parents advised him to give her space, he was worried about her. She'd been through a terrifying experience but was acting like nothing had happened. That just couldn't be healthy. But obviously, the lure of watching the ball drop in Times Square and mu shu pork weren't enticing enough to get her back into the house. It had been straight from the bath to the pool house. He'd given her a whole hour to herself. Wasn't that space enough?

"How about a little PlayStation action? Maybe it'll help get your mind off things. Or I could loan you some comics. Legion. Spiderman. You name it."

As he observed Summer's expression in response to that offering, he realized the lameness of it. "Okay, so you're not into the comics. That's fine. I just thought…" He trailed off, not sure where he was trying to go with that line. Maybe he should just try the direct approach. "I thought maybe you'd like to talk. You know, about what hap-"

"No," she stated emphatically, cutting him off.

"But – "

"I said no, Cohen."

Frowning, he stared at her, wondering when she'd become as un-talkative as Ryan. Maybe it was something in the air in the pool house. Little microbes that sucked the desire to speak out of you. Of course, Seth had spent plenty of time in this very spot and his vocal chords seemed to be doing just fine. Maybe the microbes only affected Gentiles.

Summer's tone softened. "I'm fine. You don't need to keep me company."

Time for blatant honesty again. "You keep saying you're fine but I don't believe you. That guy stuck a gun in the back of your neck. Threatened to blow your brains out if you didn't cooperate. Then he robbed you, tried to choke you and jammed the gun to your head so hard that he left a bruise. That's fucking scary, Summer. If it happened to me, I'd be a complete mess."

"Well, then, I guess it's a good thing it happened to me and not you," she snapped. "I said I don't want to talk about it. Stop pushing me."

Oh boy, he was starting to piss her off. He wasn't ready to concede defeat yet but perhaps it would be wise to temporarily pull back the troops.

"Okay, so you don't want to talk. That's cool. Well, not cool, exactly but I get it. I just thought it would help." He stood up, started for the door, and turned around again. "How about some crab and brie phyllo? It's especially tasty this evening."

"Cohen…"

"Nay on the phyllo. Gotcha. You're obviously not hungry. Thirsty?"

"Glass of water. Right there." She pointed to it, then motioned outside. "And if I need more, I'll just dunk my head in the pool."

Yup, she was definitely pissed off.

He nodded. "Right. So I'll just be going then. You know where to find me, though. If you want to, you know. Talk."

In answer, she simply glared at him. That would be the perfect cue to leave, except he remembered one more thing. "By the way, I called Ryan and he knows you're staying here. Wouldn't want you to have a surprise visitor in the night."

"Thanks."

"Sure. Goodnight." He finally made his exit and wandered back into the house. Just as he'd left them, his parents were cuddled together on the couch, watching the TV. Well, his mother was watching. His father's head was lolled back, mouth attractively hanging open and snoring wheezily.

Kirsten glanced up as he came in, putting down her glass of wine. "How is she?"

Seth plopped down next to her, scarfing down another phyllo pastry from the tray on the table. "I think she's been taking lessons from Ryan. We seriously need to give the pool house a deep cleaning to get rid of those microbes."

Raising an inquisitive eyebrow, Kirsten said, "Excuse me?"

"Nothing. She's staying put and refuses to talk."

"Be patient. Maybe she's just not ready yet."

"I guess," he grumbled.

They sat in companionable silence and watched the New York festivities play out on the screen. Kirsten occasionally sipped her wine while Seth continued to munch and nibble.

"It's just not the same without Dick," she sighed, sounding wistful.

Seth grunted something unintelligible before swallowing a mouthful. "I can't believe it's almost midnight and Summer is in the pool house. Alone. That's just not right."

Kirsten regarded him sympathetically but didn't comment. She nudged her husband gently. "Sandy, wake up. There's five minutes left. Sandy…"

He snorted once and blinked at her sleepily. "Sorry, honey. Did I miss it?"

"Nope. Just in time." She handed him his wine glass, then turned to her son. "Seth? You don't have a drink to toast. You could have a teensy bit of wine or there's ginger ale."

Seth inwardly groaned. This was so not how he was supposed to spend New Year's. Toasting with ginger ale with his parents was all well and good when he was ten but he was way past that. And the very fact that Summer was so near but still out of reach just depressed him. "You know, I think I'm just going to hit the hay. I still have to get the air mattress out for Ryan."

"Taken care of," Sandy informed him. "It's in your room."

"Oh. Well, I need my beauty sleep." Getting to his feet, Seth stretched his arms upwards, yawning.

"Summer's not joining us?" Sandy asked.

Kirsten placed a hand on his chest, giving her head an almost imperceptible shake. Seth noticed the motion but he replied anyway. "No. Guess she'd rather ring in the new year alone. Anyway, you kids have fun."

Saying goodnight, he retreated upstairs to his room and threw off his robe. Climbing into bed, he grabbed hold of Captain Oats. At least he looked happy to see Seth. "It's you and me again," Seth advised. "Now all we have to do is wait for Ryan. Being of the non-verbal species, maybe he can shed some light on this situation, hmm? What do you think, boy?"

From downstairs, he could hear the faint strains of Auld Lang Syne amidst cheering in the background. No doubt the ball had just dropped. "Happy New Year," Seth said softly.

Captain Oats, as usual, just looked at him blankly.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Punching at his pillow in a vain attempt to fluff it up, Seth rolled over and glanced at the clock yet again. It was just after 1 a.m. Ryan was officially past his curfew. Not that it mattered. He'd heard his parents shut their bedroom door shortly past midnight.

There. That was most certainly a noise from downstairs. Must be Ryan now. Sure enough, a minute later, he heard shuffling as a darkened shape crept into his room.

"No need to tiptoe. I'm awake," he said into the blackness.

"Seth, Jesus…you scared me," Ryan exclaimed.

Seth flicked on his lamp, illuminating the room and making them both blink. "The folks have long retired. Your secret's safe with me."

"What secret?"

"You're late."

Ryan checked his watch and gave him a look that spoke volumes. "By three minutes."

"Like I said. They never have to know. So how was your night?"

Kicking off his shoes, Ryan said, "Good. Really good, actually." Before sitting down on the makeshift bed on the floor, he smiled, as if recalling a fond memory.

Seth sometimes noticed that faraway look of contentment on Ryan's face whenever the subject of Lindsay came up. Funny how that expression had never graced Ryan's features in all the time he'd been with Marissa. That observation alone proved that he'd found something good with Lindsay. Something special. It was almost odd but it was nice to see his brother bask in some happiness for a change. "Care to share any details?" Seth asked coyly.

Ryan had quickly peeled down to wifebeater and boxers, slipping beneath the covers Kirsten had provided for his mattress. "Nope. How's Summer?"

Seth scurried to the foot of his bed and gazed down at Ryan, who was starting to look comfortable and drowsy. "You're diverting attention from yourself, or rather from yourself plus Lindsay, but that's okay. I'm glad you ask because I need to talk to you."

"About Summer?"

"Yeah."

Ryan propped himself up on one elbow and gave Seth his attention. "Tell me again what happened. I got the gist of it when you called but it was pretty noisy and hard to hear you."

Seth relayed the story again, including more details this time.

"Shit," Ryan muttered. "It could've been a lot worse. Most carjackers force you out of the car so they can make a quick getaway. If they make you drive somewhere, they're looking for more than just the car."

"You mean, like, robbing you," Seth said slowly.

"Yeah. Or with women, they might try to…you know…" Ryan trailed off, sounding uncomfortable.

The meaning behind his unspoken words hit Seth like a slap in the face. "Do you think he might have tried that, or did that to Summer? But she kept saying nothing else happened. He took her purse and jewellery and the car. That's it."

"I don't know, Seth. If she says nothing else happened then I guess nothing happened. I'm sure she would have said something to the cops, right?"

"But she's been acting really weird. Maybe she's in denial or shock or something. If that son of a bitch did put the moves on her, she probably didn't want to hash it out with the cops. They weren't exactly the most compassionate guys around."

The more he thought about it, the more this line of thinking seemed to ring true. Now he was in full-blown anxiety ridden mode, worried about what Summer might have been through and wondering how he might even begin to help her. "She won't talk to me," he said out loud. "How can I help her if she won't even talk to me?"

"Give her some time. She'll talk when she's ready," Ryan said. He unsuccessfully tried to muffle a yawn.

"You sound like my parents," Seth complained. "You don't have any other advice?"

"Not really. I know how annoying it is when people try to push me to talk when I don't want to." Ryan gave him a deliberately pointed look.

"Right. I get your drift."

"Good. You haven't mentioned Alex at all."

"That's because it was cut short before it even began. It's all Summer's fault. Well, indirectly, I mean."

Ryan smirked. "You mean you couldn't stop talking about her and Alex got fed up with you?"

Seth didn't bother replying and his lack of response was answer enough. Ryan shook his head with undisguised amusement. "I'm tired. Goodnight, Seth." He slumped down and nestled his head against the pillow, giving way to one more yawn.

"Hey Ryan."

"What?"

"It's pretty ironic, don't you think? The pool house is like this big magnet for ex-girlfriends. First Theresa. Now Summer."

"Yeah, the irony's just killing me. Go to sleep."

"How can I possibly sleep now? It's your fault for putting this horrendous thought in my head. Did I mention that Summer called me first? Before Zach? How wicked is that, huh?"

"Pretty wicked," Ryan mumbled, sounding like he was already drifting away.

"Could you at least say it like you mean it? It's a very significant fact that shouldn't be overlooked and brushed aside. In her time of need, she called me. I mean, that's got to count for something, right? And let me tell you, Zach was none too pleased. He tried to be cool about it but he was definitely ticked. Maybe there's still hope for us. For Summer and me. Am I making too much of this? Should I maybe not get my hopes up? Ryan? Ryan?"

Seth looked down, his eyes confirming what he already knew. Ryan was fast asleep. Nothing like a Seth Cohen monologue to lull one into slumber.

With reluctance, Seth crawled back and flopped onto his pillow again, turning on his side. He reached out for the lamp and was enveloped in darkness once more. Closing his eyes, he figured he might as well make the attempt to sleep. He could only wonder if Summer was currently dreaming the night away or lying awake, troubled and lonely.

* * *

A/N: So I found some time for writing after all. Posting was delayed, as I had my hand slapped by administrators. But all is well and good now. Hugs and Kisses to all my reviewers for your thoughtful comments. They continue to mean a lot. And I won't name names but some reviewers are apparently psychic in their suggestions/requests. The next chapter should come more quickly. Happy 2005 to all. I wish you and your families the best. 


	5. Chapter 5

_She's running down the street. It's cold. Dark. Someone or something is chasing after her. She has no idea what it is. All she knows is that she can't be caught. If it catches her, it'll kill her._

_She's been running endlessly and feels out of breath. As if a dead weight is sitting on her chest, crushing the air from her lungs. She feels so utterly alone and abandoned, as if everyone she's ever known or loved is out of reach. No mother. No father. No Marissa and no Seth. No one can help her. No one else exists, except the relentless thing that wants to devour her._

_But wait. In the far distance, she can see the vague outlines of a home. There's a warm, beckoning light in the window. If she can make it there, she'll be safe._

"_Summer…"_

_It has a voice. It's low and raspy and it sounds so close. Frightened and desperate, she puts on a burst of speed, wanting to fly through the night. But she's getting tired. So very tired. Her legs feel terribly heavy and she's slowing down, as if she's slogging through mud._

"_Summer…"_

_It's coming closer. Crying now, with ragged, hitching sobs, she wills herself to go faster but her body refuses to cooperate. She knows it's right behind her. Too late now. Something reaches around her neck, jerking her backwards and choking her. She tries to scream but no sound emerges from her throat. No amount of pulling or pounding on the arm has any effect. It's too strong._

_She realizes now that it's human after all. One arm is thrown across her neck, the other wrapped around her waist. She's pressed against a man, his hot breath caressing the side of her face. The pressure against her neck tightens, wringing the life out of her. She can't breathe and can't make a sound, not even a whimper. But on the inside, she's screaming._

_No, no, no, no…_

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"_No!_"

Summer awoke with a scream echoing in her head and a heavily pounding heart. It was racing so fast, she was literally out of breath. Her face felt wet and she swiped at her cheeks with the palm of her hand. She really had been crying. She couldn't remember the last time she'd had a nightmare this intense.

Sitting up slowly, she found her legs practically bound by twisted sheets. Both pillows were on the floor, evidence of arms that must have been flailing erratically. Untangling her legs, she sat and waited for her pulse to return to some semblance of normalcy. Still feeling shaky, she got to her feet and went to the window, peeking around the blinds. Everything looked normal. No monsters lurking in the shadows.

But even with the blinds drawn, she felt strangely exposed in the pool house. Perhaps it was all the glass. Or maybe the fact that she felt separated from the main house, even though it was just a short walk away. The feelings were ridiculous. She knew that. And yet, there they were, taunting her just the same.

Stooping to grab one of the pillows, she plopped back onto the bed, hugging it to her chest. The details of the nightmare hadn't receded like dreams usually did. She could still remember the terror of hearing her name being rasped by a disembodied voice. Choking and gagging as her throat was squeezed. The revulsion of knowing it was some strange man that had her in his grip. A faceless man that wanted her dead.

Closing her eyes, she turned on her side and buried her face in the pillow. It had just been a dream. No one wanted to kill her. The real man that had robbed her had let her go. Why couldn't she seem to let go of what had happened to her?

Her stomach growled and gurgled loudly and she placed a hand over it, faintly amused. She was in the middle of some sort of crisis but she was also hungry. Too bad she hadn't taken Seth up on his offer of appetizers and mu shu. She wondered if there was anything left. The Cohens' refrigerator was always well stocked anyway. She was sure to find something.

Slipping into the flip-flops Kirsten had lent her, she made her way across the patio to the house. The moon was shining brightly tonight, bathing everything in a soft glow. If she were the type of person who stopped to appreciate such things, she would have found it lovely. Letting herself in, she walked through the kitchen without bothering to turn on the light. There was enough moonlight coming in through the window to see by.

In the fridge, she hit the jackpot. Containers of Chinese were neatly stacked to the side and there was also a plate of leftover appetizers. Flipping open one of the white boxes, she found noodles. Good enough for her. Placing it on the island counter, her elbow nudged something. It was the bowl of fruit. Too late, she tried to catch it but the smooth plastic escaped her fingers and landed on the floor with a hollow ringing sound. Apples and oranges scattered and rolled away from her.

"Crap," she muttered. Bending down, she shuffled around, gathering them up one by one. She was pretty sure an orange had rolled towards the dishwasher.

"Summer…"

The low and hoarse sounding voice came out of nowhere, making her skin crawl. With a strangled scream, most of the fruit fell from her arms as she spun around, afraid of what she'd find.

Instead of a faceless stranger, she saw one Seth Cohen. Hardly a scary sight with his rumpled hair and striped pyjamas. Her short bout of terror dissolved into anger and she flung an orange at him.

"Hey!" he yelped, more from surprise than hurt, as the solid ball bounced off his chest.

"Seth, you, you…jackass!" she cried. "You scared me!"

"I'm sorry. Really. I wasn't sleeping very well and thought I heard something downstairs…"

He continued to ramble an explanation but she wasn't even listening. She was trying to get her emotions back under control. There wasn't anything to be afraid of. It was just Cohen. But everything seemed to be crashing in on her head, making her feel ill and dizzy. She still hadn't shaken the remnants of her nightmare. And the fright of hearing an unexpected voice from behind was too reminiscent of the carjacker in the backseat.

_I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm okay…_

She repeated the chant in her head but it wasn't helping. Seth, meanwhile, was still chattering.

"Shut up, Cohen!"

He stopped talking but his mouth remained open before he remembered to close it. Even in this dim light, she could see the hurt look on his face. "I'm sorry," she mumbled, unconsciously stepping towards him. "Sorry. You just…I…uh…" She couldn't even form coherent sentences anymore. That's how messed up she was. Lowering her gaze, she stared at a green apple. "You made me drop the fruit," she said at last.

She started to pick them up again and silently, Seth helped her. By the time she'd retrieved the third orange, she was fighting a battle with her tears and it wasn't in her favour. She was totally going to lose it.

Slumping onto the floor with her back against the kitchen island, she drew up her knees and hid her face, bursting into racking sobs. She didn't even know why she was crying. It didn't take long before she felt the warmth of his body next to hers. He rubbed her back soothingly before sliding his arm around to encircle her shoulder. She instinctively curled towards him, accepting his gesture of comfort and tucking her head beneath his chin. The force of her sobs made her shudder and she couldn't seem to stop shaking. He didn't speak but made murmuring consoling sounds against her hair. As she continued to cry, her mind went blank, simply giving in to the release. Gradually, though she had no idea how much time had passed, her weeping subsided. The effort left her feeling drained and listless. While her breathing slowly returned to normal, she didn't immediately pull away. Nor did he make any move to release her. She continued to rest against him, lulled by the rise and fall of his chest. Finally, a sense of reality returned to her brain and she shifted, angling away so she wasn't quite so plastered against him.

"Feel better?" he asked.

Actually, she did. She'd done a remarkably good job of holding herself together but perhaps she'd needed to indulge in a little crying. Maybe now she could try to move on. "Yeah, a little," she replied, sniffling. She partially covered her nose with her sleeve, appalled that it was running. She must look horrific.

Seth got up and left her side. He returned momentarily and sat back down, handing her a box of tissues. "Thanks," she said gratefully.

"I don't suppose you feel like talking?" he ventured after a moment, sounding tentative.

Just when she was starting to feel a little more like herself, he had to bring that up again. "Don't start," she warned. "Just because you have this need to hear the sound of your own voice doesn't mean everyone else does."

"Look, I'm just worried about you. After what happened, you can't just keep saying you're fine. And the fact that you don't want to talk about it just makes me think…"

Regarding him closely, she wondered why he'd cut himself off. "Makes you think what?" She could see his hesitation, as if he was struggling to get the words out. "Just spit it out," she urged.

Taking a breath, he finally said, "Did that guy try to put the moves on you? You can tell me, even if you didn't want to tell my dad or the cops. I won't tell anyone if you don't want me to. But I can't stand the thought of anyone hurting you like that. Just, please, tell me the truth."

The proverbial light bulb suddenly shone brightly over her head. "You think the guy tried to…ew, no, nothing like that happened. I swear."

His relief was almost palpable, his shoulders slumping forward. "Really? You're being honest?"

"Yes. I thought he was going to choke me to death, so he was a little too close for comfort. And yeah, the whole thing was creepy and I was scared. But that's all."

Seth's concern both touched and annoyed her. Why did he have to be so damn sweet? It made her resistance to him all the more difficult. She'd chosen Zach. She was happy with Zach. Wasn't she?

Running a hand through his hair, he gave her a weak smile. His hair now stuck up in new and interesting ways. "I was really worried. I'm glad he didn't try anything. Not that choking you wasn't bad enough but, you know. You can't blame me for thinking weird thoughts when you've been acting so…" He paused and started again. "You've just been acting way too calm since this happened. Like you were in shock or something. The way you cried right now is the first real emotion I've seen from you."

She understood what he meant. Only in the last little while had she realized that maybe she'd tried to detach herself from what had happened. It had been the only way she could deal with it. "Yeah, I guess I kind of had a delayed reaction," she admitted. Her stomach chose that moment to profess that it was starving. She almost blushed at the loudness of the rumble.

Chuckling, he stood up and held out his hand, helping her to her feet. "Guess we better feed you or you'll wake everyone up. Feel like sampling that mu shu? Or I also highly recommend the dumplings."

"I've already got some noodles out," she informed him. "Need some chopsticks, though."

There was a small pile of them on the counter that she hadn't noticed. He handed a pair over to her. "You eat. I'll get the rest of the fruit."

The light stung her eyes briefly when he switched it on. Taking a stool, she eagerly dug into the tasty looking noodles. One bite later, she found the container ripped from her hand. "Hey," she protested indignantly.

"What are you doing? You can't eat them cold."

"I don't care. I'm hungry," she whined.

He ignored her and made his way over to the microwave. "In less than a minute, you'll thank me. Cold Chinese just doesn't cut it. My dad might be the grill guru but I am the master of the microwave."

She rolled her eyes, leaning her elbows on the tabletop. Finally, after three successive beeps, the warmed container was returned to her. Okay, so the second bite did taste better than the first one, but she wasn't about to admit it to him.

Seth stuck his head in the fridge and selected a few more items. After heating them up, he sat down beside her with his own set of chopsticks. They ate in silence for a while but it didn't last.

"Some New Year's Eve, huh?" he commented.

"Mmm hmm."

"Guess this isn't quite what you had in mind. Me either. But fate works in mysterious ways."

They couldn't just eat in peace. No, that would be too normal and mundane for him. She shot him an annoyed glance. "What are you talking about?"

He flapped a hand, waving back and forth. "This. You and me. Fate has brought us together again."

"You're completely delusional, you know that? There is no 'you and me'. Yeah, I kind of broke down and had a weak moment but that's all. It means zilch."

He slapped his container of dumplings down. "Zilch? May I remind you of the very significant fact that when you were in trouble tonight, who did you choose to call? Was it Zach? Uh uh. It was me. Seth Cohen. Right here. How do you explain that, huh?" he challenged.

She swallowed a mouthful of chow mein before she choked on it, her mind working frantically. "I…you…" she stammered, cursing herself for not being more prepared for this inquisition. She should have known it would be inevitable. He was already gleaming with an air of triumph and that just wasn't tolerable. "You weren't the first person I thought of calling. Believe me, if they'd been available, things would have been different," she advised him haughtily.

Some of the cockiness faded from his eyes. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. My father for one. The next person I thought of was Coop. But since she's off doing whatever with her dad, I couldn't call her either. So you're way down the list, dumpling boy."

"Well, I still made the cut above Zach. Your dad and your best friend, they don't count anyway. I don't consider myself to be competitive with them. Your dad, especially. That man still scares the hell out of me. But this doesn't change the fact that when your dialling finger was hovering over that cell phone, you called me. Admit it, Summer. You still feel a connection with me."

Damn him. He had her thoroughly backed into a corner. "I'm not admitting anything to you," she said finally.

He sighed, obviously frustrated. "Fine. I guess I'll just go back to bed, then." Looking dejected, he stood up.

He was leaving. A sudden rush of panic seemed to wash over her at the prospect of being left alone again. "Wait. You, uh, haven't finished your dumplings."

"You can have them. I'm not even hungry anyway. Guess I was just keeping you company."

She watched his retreating back and called out to him before he disappeared around the corner. "Cohen!"

Turning, he regarded her with a questioning gaze. "Yeah?"

She had to do it. She had to let her defenses down just a little. "I had this dream. A nightmare. And it sort of freaked me out. I don't want to go back. To the pool house," she added, aware that she wasn't making a whole lot of sense.

He walked back towards her. "It was just a dream," he said, sounding ever so sensible. "It doesn't mean anything."

"I know. I know but…" She shrugged one shoulder. "I can't help it."

"Soooo, what are you saying? You want to sleep in the house?"

"Yeah."

"Well, the couch is right there. My parents won't mind."

He wasn't getting it. Not that she really blamed him. She couldn't quite figure out what her problem was either. "No. I don't want to be alone. So, I was wondering, could I sleep in your room?"

His right eyebrow lifted and remained arched. "You want to sleep in my room."

"That's what I said."

"But Ryan's there. You know, there's so many jokes I could make about threesomes right now…"

"Cohen…"

"...except two guys and a girl is a little disgusting. Well, I guess 'disgusting' isn't exactly politcally correct but you know what I mean. Now, you, me and Alex, however..."

If she were standing, she would have stomped her foot. "_Cohen!_"

"…but I digress. You were saying?"

As he blinked at her innocently, she shook her head, exasperated. "I was going to say, Ryan can just go back to the pool house. He won't mind, will he?" 

Seth glanced up at the clock. "Considering it's almost two thirty in the morning and he's probably in a deep sleep, no, I don't see why he'd mind."

She was fully aware of the sarcasm but chose to ignore it. "What about your parents? Will they get upset?"

"Probably. But I guess I can set the alarm and we'll do a switcheroo in a few hours."

This was becoming too complicated. And all because she was acting like a three-year-old who'd had a bad dream. "Just forget it. Maybe I will take the couch." That wasn't so bad, she reasoned with herself. At least she'd be in the house with everyone else.

"Okay. You know where to find me if you change your mind."

With those parting words, he left her on the stool, surrounded by takeout containers. She ate a few more half-hearted bites but soon gave up. Her stomach had settled down and she was no longer hungry.

After clearing everything away, she flicked off the light and wandered into the den. Curling onto the couch, she closed her eyes, mentally exhausted. Although she was tired, she sensed that sleep wouldn't come easily. Sparring with Seth took a lot of energy. Even though, she admitted reluctantly, it was enjoyable. Sometimes irritating, yes. Sometimes fun. Often it was both, which made no sense at all.

With Zach, everything was easy. Less drama. Less conflict. He was…safe.

If she kept this up, she'd never fall asleep. She hated the fact that Seth could affect her so deeply when he wasn't even in the room. Voodoo. Really. It was the only explanation.

Heaving a grumpy sigh, she flipped onto her back and stared up at the ceiling.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Summer awoke with a jolt and a gasp, covering her mouth with one hand. She didn't think she'd made a sound out loud but she wasn't sure. She'd been dreaming again. This time, she couldn't recall any details but the jittery and uneasy feelings lingered.

Without pausing to analyse what she was doing, she got up from the couch and wound her way around obstacles to get to the staircase. It was still dark and she had no idea what time it was. On the second floor, she found the door she was looking for and let herself in, closing it behind her. Careful not to trip over the still form camped out on the floor, she slipped under the bedcovers.

"Summer?"

This time, the hoarse whisper floating out of the darkness didn't frighten her. In fact, it had quite the opposite effect, which was what she'd been hoping for.

"Don't get any funny ideas. This doesn't change anything," she whispered back. "I just don't want to be alone tonight."

"Okay."

She waited for more – a snappy joke or droll comment – but there was only silence. Relieved, she scooted a little closer. "Do you think I'll ever have a good dream again?" she asked in a small voice.

His eyes were liquid black pools, regarding her steadily. "Sure. I know tonight was horrible and scary but it's over. Things will look better in the morning. I promise."

It was the right answer. One that made her feel hopeful that the worst was over. "Sorry I've been so awful to you," she murmured.

"No worries. Just try to sleep."

The bed was warm and cozy and she was already starting to feel drowsy again. Although she had slept, it had been uneven and restless, filled with disturbing images. Maybe now she would find some peace. But something was missing. Something that would make her comfort complete.

"You can put an arm around me. If you want to, that is."

Unconsciously or not, she'd worked so hard at pushing Seth away; she feared he might want to keep his distance. But his arm reached around without hesitation, resting across her back.

Closing her eyes, she looked forward to sleeping with no threat of nightmares on the horizon.

* * *

A/N: Thank you for taking the time to leave your reviews. You're all wonderful! And once again, some of the reviewers are either psychic or my story is a little predictable. I suppose it's the latter but hey, I'm having fun writing it anyway. It's always encouraging to know others are enjoying it too. 


	6. Chapter 6

Seth awakened slowly, feeling an itch beneath his chin. He'd been having a pleasant dream but couldn't remember what it had been about. With reluctance, his eyes cracked open a smidge, taking in his surroundings. Only then did he realize he had a visitor in his bed. Summer.

The events of last night slammed back into his brain, physically jarring him as he jerked his head back with surprise. How could he have forgotten the drama that had played out in the kitchen? The warm and silky figure that had crept into his bed, frightened by a nightmare?

For a second, he wondered if he was still in the throes of a dream but the feminine form pressed against him was real. The soft, dark hair that had tickled the underside of his chin was also very real. He was lying on his side, curving into Summer's back, one arm possessively hugging her waist and stomach. With a flush of blood to his face, he noted his leg was even encircling hers, effectively completing the intimate position. It had been a long time since he'd been this close to her. His pulse started hammering a little faster but he tried to squash the involuntary excitement. She'd told him in no uncertain terms that nothing had changed between them. She'd experienced a trauma and had been scared to be alone. Comfort and reassurance were the only things she'd wanted from him. He'd given both willingly and wouldn't hesitate to do it again. But being this close to her and knowing she didn't want more from him hurt too much.

He pulled his leg back and withdrew his arm, moving slowly and carefully so she wasn't jostled. Sliding off the bed, he stood and watched her for a moment. Perhaps missing the warmth at her back, she rolled onto her other side, burrowing deeper beneath the covers. A slight sigh escaped her lips and he thought she might wake up. But her breathing was deep and even, indicating she was still soundly asleep. One small hand caressed his pillow, fingers curled against the fabric where his head had just been resting.

Rolling his neck around to work out the kinks, he looked down at the floor, expecting to see Ryan sprawled across the air mattress. Instead, he saw a pile of neatly folded sheet and blanket and beyond that, empty space. His brother was already up and quite possibly fixing breakfast. In spite of having snacked on dumplings just a few hours ago, his stomach grumbled at the pleasing thought of Ryan's pancakes and bacon. He made a mean bacon. Extra crispy, just the way Seth liked them.

His gaze slid to Summer's still form again. Ryan surely must have seen them snuggled together in bed. What conclusion had he jumped to?

With that question in mind, Seth threw on his robe and walked into the hall, shutting the door behind him. Halfway to the bathroom, he heard his father's jovial voice from behind.

"Morning, sleepyhead!"

Seth turned around and raised a hand. "Hey, Dad."

"Ryan's downstairs making breakfast. Your mother is helping." At Seth's raised eyebrow of concern, Sandy chuckled. "Thought that might get your attention. Don't worry. She's just making the coffee and toast. Two tasks even your mother is capable of."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Pretty sure. Anyway, I just came up here to grab that labor law journal you borrowed from me. It's by your computer, right?"

Alarm bells dinged like crazy, setting Seth's feet in motion as he quickly walked back towards his bedroom. "Uh, I'm not finished with my project yet. I'm still using it."

"That's okay. I just need it for a few hours this afternoon and then you can have it back. Besides, you weren't planning to work on your project today, were you? I thought it wasn't due for another couple of weeks."

Seth plastered his face with the most sincere look he could conjure up. "Well, you know me. Always looking to get ahead. Besides, you shouldn't be working on the weekend. On a holiday, no less."

Sandy shrugged one shoulder. "I have a deposition to prepare for Monday. No choice, I'm afraid." He reached out for the doorknob.

Seth, in turn, shot out his arm and braced himself against the door with one hand. "You don't want to go in there. My room. Messy. So messy that you could trip and fall. And who wants to prepare a deposition with a broken arm or a dislocated shoulder? So please, allow me. You go on downstairs and enjoy a cup of mom's freshly brewed coffee."

Sandy smiled, obviously amused. But he was no idiot. "What's going on, Seth?"

"Nothing." Seth blinked with wide-eyed innocence.

"Right. What are you hiding?"

"Nothing! It's just…my room is private, you know? It's my little sanctuary and I don't want you…your…" Stumbling over his words, he waved his free hand around in circles. "…your parental vibe to mess up the harmonics. The flow. I'm all about the feng shui." He dropped his voice to a dramatic whisper. "It's sacred. I'm sure you understand."

With his mouth slightly parted, Sandy stared at him, drawing out a lengthy pause. "No, I don't," he said at last. "You really need to work on those deceptive skills, kiddo." He gripped the doorknob, even as Seth continued to lean against the door with one arm. Sandy regarded his son with a level gaze. "Seth. Move."

Ducking his head with defeat, Seth let his arm fall to his side as his father marched in. Three seconds later, Sandy came back out and softly closed the door behind him. "You've got a lot of explaining to do."

"Dad, I know how it looks, but it's totally innocent. I swear. She just got freaked out by some nightmares and didn't want to be alone. All we did was sleep together." As his father's expressive eyebrows lifted, Seth realized his unfortunate choice of words. "I mean, we slept side by side. Fully clothed."

"No sex?" Sandy interjected bluntly.

Seth felt his cheeks burn with embarrassment. It didn't matter how liberal and easy going his father was. It just wasn't right to hear the three-letter 's' word coming out of his mouth.

"No sex," Seth mumbled, cringing.

"It still isn't appropriate," Sandy scolded.

"I know."

"But considering everything Summer went through, it's understandable. She looks exhausted, poor thing. We'll let her sleep."

Seth blew out a breath of relief. "That's it?"

"You say nothing happened and I believe you. Besides, considering Ryan was right there, I don't imagine you and Summer to be exhibitionists. Unless there's something you're not telling me."

Seth almost choked on his own tongue. "Dad!" he exclaimed, not bothering to hide his look of horror.

Chuckling, Sandy patted him on the shoulder. "Go take your shower. Pancakes will be waiting when you come down. I still need that journal later but I'll let you get it."

Seth nodded and shuffled towards the bathroom, one hand combing through his tousled curls. Who would have thought that the first day of the new year would find Summer in his bed? Even if it was all perfectly innocent.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Blinking sleepily, Summer grudgingly made the transition into conscious awareness. She was awake whether she liked it or not. The strange sensation of being in the wrong place made her frown until she realized she was in Seth's bed. Only then did the memory of everything that had happened last night come reeling back at her. With a groan, she squeezed her eyes shut and rubbed at one temple. Ouch. She'd forgotten about that tender spot.

Sitting up slowly, she crawled over to the foot of the bed and looked down. Ryan was gone too. A glance at the clock told her it was mid morning. Probably everyone was up already.

Seth had been right. Now that it was morning, the room considerably bright in spite of the drawn curtains, yesterday's ordeal didn't seem as horrific. In fact, she felt rather embarrassed at how childish she'd acted. But Seth, she had to admit, had been wonderful to her. He'd never once made her feel foolish for crying or being frightened by a bad dream. When she'd finally started to fall asleep again with his arm around her, she'd felt completely safe and cared for.

Perhaps she couldn't be honest with Seth but she could no longer deceive herself. She was infinitely glad that when she'd been lost and in trouble with that that cell phone in her hand, she'd reacted without thinking. She'd called Seth.

It seemed wrong. It seemed so totally wrong but again, Seth's observation that she still felt a connection with him was true. Although it was intangible, something was still there. But she didn't dare admit it to him. It would completely send him over the edge of reason. He would first gloat over the fact that he'd been right. Then he'd demand that they get back together pronto. The thought scared her even more than those ridiculous nightmares.

Tossing the covers off, she went to the bathroom to freshen up. Ready at last to face the day, she walked downstairs and into the kitchen. Kirsten was at the table, nursing a mug of coffee. Papers were scattered around her as if she'd been working for some time.

"Good morning," Summer called out.

Kirsten glanced up and smiled at her. "Good morning. Did you sleep okay?"

Summer pasted on a fake smile. "Yeah. Great."

The older woman's brow furrowed slightly, as if she'd just had a confusing thought. "Any reason why you came in from that way?" Her gaze flickered to the side door, where the pool house lay just beyond.

Summer froze, realizing her mistake. "Oh, um…" She cast her eyes around frantically, as if that would somehow help her come up with a believable story. She spotted the newspaper, partially buried beneath Kirsten's spread of work. "I went around the front to bring in the paper for you but I see you already have it."

"Oh. Well that was sweet of you. Are you hungry? Ryan made a stack of pancakes and we saved some for you. Or there's bagels."

"No thanks. I'm not hungry. Maybe a cup of coffee, though."

"Sure. Help yourself, sweetie."

As Summer went over to the coffee maker, Kirsten got up and came towards her. "You actually have a visitor this morning," she stated.

A visitor? No one even knew she was here. Except…"Zach?" Summer deduced.

Kirsten nodded. "He just showed up about half an hour ago. I told him you were sleeping but he said he'd wait. The boys are keeping him company playing video games."

Summer said nothing, stirring her coffee thoughtfully. Zach had said he would call but instead, he'd come over in person. She wasn't sure how to interpret that. Perhaps he was just trying to make up for the time they should have spent together at the party last night. Kirsten's concerned voice broke into her thoughts. "How are you feeling?"

Summer looked up at the motherly woman. "I'm okay," she replied quietly.

"You went through a horrible experience, Summer. I can't even imagine. And I understand if you don't want to talk about it. But if you ever do, you can come and talk to me anytime. Okay?"

The extended offer was a kind one and Summer appreciated it. Kirsten was the opposite end of the spectrum compared to her step-mom. Seth was so lucky. "Thanks. But I'm going to be okay."

"I know you are."

Bringing the warm mug to her lips, she sipped at the soothing liquid. "Well, guess I better see what the guys are up to. Thanks for the coffee."

The electronic sounds of a game in progress mixed with simultaneous cheering and booing reached her ears before she entered the room. When she walked in, Seth and Zach were heatedly at the controls while Ryan looked on in amusement, arms crossed and slumped on the couch.

"Hey guys," she said brightly.

All heads turned to swivel towards her and greetings were uttered back. For some reason, it struck her mind that she and Seth were the only ones still in their pyjamas.

Zach immediately got to his feet and came to her side, kissing her cheek. "Happy New Year. I hope you don't mind me coming over like this."

"That's okay."

"So, uh, I was hoping we could talk. In private."

Ryan leaned forward and started to rise but Zach waved him back down. "No, Ryan, you and Seth keep playing. We could sit on the patio?"

"Sure."

Summer tried to keep her voice nonchalant but she felt the beginnings of stress nibbling around the edges. The private talk. It always sounded so serious. Nothing good ever came out of those kinds of talks.

Flashing smiles at Kirsten as they passed by, they went out back, sitting on the patio chairs. It was beautiful and sunny. Such a contrast to the last time she'd been outdoors, shivering and miserable beneath Seth's jacket. "So what do you want to talk about?" she blurted out.

Zach folded his hands on the table. "First of all, how are you doing? After what happened last night, I mean."

"I'm okay. I was a little shaky at first but really, I'm fine now."

"Good. I wanted to say sorry again for how I acted. It just made me crazy when I thought about how close you'd been to really being hurt. It could have been so much worse. But that was pretty lousy of me to start lecturing you right then. I know I let you down."

"Yeah, you kind of did," she agreed, her voice soft. "But I understand why you were upset. So, apology accepted."

Zach appeared relieved, giving her a tiny, grateful smile. "Okay. So, on to why I'm here." His upturned lips twisted into a slight grimace, hinting at the fact that what he was about to say would not be pleasant. "This is hard for me to say. Even harder than I thought it would be."

Summer tensed, crossing her legs and gripping the edge of the table. She knew. Somehow she knew what he was going to say. "You're breaking up with me."

"Summer…"

Her voice got louder. "You're breaking up with me! Am I wrong?"

He hesitated only for a second. "No."

"Why? Because your pride can't take the fact that you weren't the first one I called last night? Because your girlfriend is such an idiot she left the door open and practically invited a carjacker to steal her car? Or maybe it's because your father doesn't think I'm good enough for you?"

"No! Summer, please, it's nothing like that."

"Then what is it like, Zach." She enunciated each word with bullet-like precision. "Enlighten me."

"You're still in love with Seth!" he shouted.

She gaped at him, mouth hanging open. He lowered his voice but still managed to sustain the same intensity. "You can deny it all you want, like you've been denying it the whole time we've been together, but it's the truth. The night of the SnO.C., when Alex came to get Seth? I saw the way you looked at her. You were jealous. And the guy is obviously still crazy in love with you. Only a lovesick fool would try to conquer a hotdog stand in the name of love. Even last night is an example. When I was tearing you down at the time you needed your boyfriend the most, Seth was the one trying to defend you. The two of you have something special. And even though I like you more than any girl I've ever gone out with, let's be honest. What you and I have doesn't come close to that…that _thing_ that you have with Seth."

He paused and she continued to stare at him. "So say something," he urged.

"I…don't know what to say."

"Tell me what you're thinking."

In truth, she was completely stunned. Stunned that Zach would come to this revelation before her. Was he right? Was she still in love with Seth Cohen?

"I think…that you're a really wonderful guy. I know Cohen and I have this whole drama thing going on. I'm sorry for putting you through all this."

He shook his head slightly. "You didn't put me through anything. I came along for the ride willingly and it's been a blast. Believe me, if circumstances were different, I wouldn't give up so easily. But I'm not going to stand in the way of true love."

She didn't know whether to blush or cry. Zach deserved better than this. "Your coffee is getting cold," he pointed out.

The inane observation broke some of the tension and she exhaled a breath. They regarded each other, not with wariness but with an uncertainty, unsure of the next step.

"I never thought I would say this," she said slowly. "Because it sounds like this horrible cliché. But it would be pretty cool if we could still be friends."

He smiled in that agreeable way of his. "I'd like that."

* * *

A/N: I was asked to explain why my hand was slapped by administrators of this site. Believe me, it's not all that interesting. But click on my bio if you want the explanation behind it.

Please accept my apologies for taking forever to update. I haven't abandoned the story. Life is just very busy these days. One more chapter will probably wrap it up. I'm glad so many of you enjoyed the previous chapter. Thank you once again to all the reviewers for brightening my day.


	7. Chapter 7

For the tenth time in ten minutes, Seth looked over his shoulder towards the back of house. Why, he didn't know. It was pointless. He couldn't actually see them. And yet his head kept craning around anyway.

"Ow!" he protested loudly, as a sharp jab nearly poked through his ribs. He never figured Ryan to have such a pointy elbow. Though he fixed a dirty look on his opponent, it didn't seem to faze him.

"Come on, man, get your mind back on the game," Ryan said, proceeding to tear off his brother's head in a blazing and gory moment of triumph. "Oops. Too late. I think I killed you."

Seth watched as the video game version of himself expired without even a whimper. "Oh, you think? Thanks, bro."

"Ready for a rematch?" Ryan grinned, looking rather pleased with himself.

"Okay, Mr. Serious Gamer. You've kind of got me at a disadvantage here. I'm a little distracted right now. What do you think they're talking about?"

"Who?" Ryan had somehow perfected the wholesome, innocent routine.

"Oh, you're funny. I would laugh but I have no head."

"And yet it speaks."

"Ha. Witty comeback. I think I've been a bad influence on you because you never used to have a sense of humour. I'm talking about Superman and Lois Lane out there. Spiderman and Mary Jane." Once again, Seth twisted around to try to see beyond the walls. Superman wouldn't have this problem. X-ray vision was highly underrated.

Ryan tossed down the controller, as if coming to terms with the fact that their gaming session had ground to a halt. "I thought Summer was Wonder Woman," he pointed out.

"Hey, Summer is _my_ Wonder Woman," Seth stated, with as much dignity as he could muster. "I don't share with annoyingly perfect, water polo playing, superhero wannabes." He came to an impulsive decision. "I think I need to go out there."

"No you don't."

"Yes, Ryan, I think I do."

"Seth, you're not going out there." Ryan's tone left no room for argument but when had that ever stopped Seth?

"I'll be subtle. I'll go out with a tray and offer them some drinks. Then I'll just smoothly inquire what the topic of conversation is. It's a foolproof plan."

Ryan stared at him with an intriguing mix of horror and disbelief. "Please tell me this is one of those times you're talking just to hear the sound of your own voice and that you don't actually think this is a good idea."

Seth gave up the pretense. "All right, I'm a pathetic loser. I know that. It's just killing me, man. I need to know what's going on out there."

"Just keep reminding yourself what you've told me twenty times already. She called you. She's staying at your house. She came into your bed."

"Yeah, and now she's doing God knows what with him," Seth huffed.

"Aren't you being a bit dramatic?" Ryan observed dryly. "I'm sure they're just talking."

"And what does talking lead to? Kissing, of course. And kissing leads to the three-letter word that I had to endure getting lectured on by my father. A most awesomely humiliating experience, I might add. No, this has got to stop here."

Ryan's eyes rolled so dramatically, Seth was mildly surprised they didn't keep rolling out of his head. "You need some serious help," Ryan muttered.

The ringing of the telephone vaguely registered in Seth's mind as he decided to execute his plan. He hadn't actually gone so far as to figure out what he would say when he got out there, but he'd think of something. He got to his feet. "Seth…" Ryan's voice held a tone of warning.

"Don't worry. I know what I'm doing," Seth tried to assure him. He quickly headed for the kitchen as Ryan followed behind.

"Don't do this!"

Seth had almost reached the door leading outside when he was stopped by his mother's voice.

"Oh, honey, would you mind going outside to get Summer?"

Say what? This was unexpected. With surprise, Seth turned to look at Kirsten. She was holding one hand over the mouthpiece of the phone and pointing at it with the other. "It's her father."

"Oh." He glanced back at Ryan with an air of satisfaction. "See? And you thought I didn't have a good G.P."

Kirsten frowned at her son. "What's that? Guinea pig?"

Ryan snorted with laughter and tried to cover it with a cough, managing to sound like he was suffering from a bout of bronchitis.

Seth gave him a withering look, then returned his gaze to Kirsten. "Yes, mother, it's the one thing that's always been lacking in my life. A good guinea pig. And in case you didn't notice, this is my voice dripping with sarcasm. I'll go get Summer."

Stepping outside, the first thing he heard was Summer's full-bodied laugh. It wasn't one of her pretending-to-be-amused forced laughs that she sometimes used. This one was from the heart. Now he could see them sitting at the table, facing each other with mutual smiles. He tried to console himself with the fact that she looked happy. And if Zach was the one that was making her feel that way…well, perhaps for once in his life, he should do the unselfish thing and leave his nose out of their business. It wouldn't be easy but maybe he should be willing to try. He cleared his throat. "Hey, sorry to interrupt. Summer, your dad is on the phone."

She shot out of the chair in an instant. "My father? Are you sure?"

"That's what my mom says."

As she started towards the house, Zach spoke up. "I'm gonna get going, Summer."

She had strode past him, so she stopped and turned around. "Okay. I'm glad we talked."

"Me too."

With a little wave, she disappeared inside. For several seconds, the two remaining boys regarded each other in uncomfortable silence. Zach pulled back his chair and stood up.

"You sure you don't want to finish our match?" Seth offered. "I think I was beating your ass when we left off. Now's your chance to redeem yourself."

"That's okay. You've already won," Zach stated rather cryptically. He stepped closer with a hand extended.

Although puzzled, Seth shook the offered hand. "Happy New Year, Seth. I mean it this time."

"So you didn't mean it last night?"

Zach shrugged lightly. "Let's just say I mean it a little more sincerely now. I think it'll be a good year for you."

Seth had no clue where this was coming from but he decided it was best to just play along. "Is that your Spidey sense tingling?"

Chuckling, Zach nodded. "Exactly. And my senses are also telling me that it wouldn't be a bad idea for you to sit down and talk with Summer."

"I'll, uh, keep that in mind."

"I'll let myself out. See you in school."

Seth's gaze followed Zach's back until he went in the house. Bizarre. Totally bizarre. Zach was advising him to have a talk with Summer? What was that all about?

He supposed there was only one way to find out.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Love you too. Okay." Summer held the phone out towards Kirsten, who had returned to her workstation at the kitchen table. "He wants to talk to you."

Handing over the receiver, Summer stepped aside, feeling a little drained. Her father hadn't had any idea of what had happened last night. He'd tried calling her at home to wish her a Happy New Year and had gotten worried when he couldn't reach her. He'd next attempted to contact the Coopers to no avail and had finally thought to try the Cohen household. Summer had explained most of the details, trying to assure him that she was really okay and that he didn't have to catch the next flight out to come home. He and her step-mom were scheduled to return tomorrow anyway. One more day wouldn't make any difference.

"No, truly, it's no trouble at all. Sandy and I are happy to do it," Kirsten was saying into the phone. "Yes, I will. We'll see you tomorrow. All right. Bye now."

Summer glanced at her rather guiltily. "I guess I should have called him but I didn't know what to say. How to tell him what happened without freaking him out. I think he's mad."

"No, he's not mad. Not at you, anyway. He's just relieved that you're okay."

Unconsciously, Summer's hand went to the base of her throat. "The guy took my necklace. My dad gave it to me for Christmas." Her father had been so thrilled and excited when he'd given it to her Christmas morning. She hadn't had the heart to tell him that the car wasn't the only thing that had been stolen.

As if sensing her feelings, Kirsten came to stand before her. "Honey, believe me, he's not going to care about the necklace. You're safe. That's all that matters."

Summer nodded glumly. "Yeah." With arms crossed in front of her, she headed for the side door, peering outside. Seth sat alone at the patio table, looking absorbed in thought. She started to reach for the door handle and hesitated. It would be so much easier to avoid him right now. Ryan was probably still playing video games. She could join him and take out her stress on the buttons of the game controller. Wouldn't that be more fun than talking to the boy who waited outside? With a final sigh, she turned her head to find Kirsten still regarding her with concern. "I'll just be outside," she stated.

Seth glanced up as she approached him. "Hey," he greeted.

"Hey."

"What did your dad want? How did he even know you're here?" he asked, curiosity in his voice.

She sat down beside him, taking a sip of her coffee first. Ugh. It had gone cold. "He did a little sleuthing to find me. He got worried when I didn't answer at home."

"You told him what happened?"

"Yeah."

"Did he freak out?"

She grimaced, recalling the conversation. "Pretty much. He must have asked me ten times if I was all right. They're coming back tomorrow anyway."

He leaned forward, elbow on the table and cradling his head in one hand. "So, any more bad dreams last night? After joining me in bed, I mean."

Frowning slightly, her gaze slid to his. If he was about to crack jokes about sleeping together, she would kill him. He met her eyes without the hint of any sly humour, however. It seemed his question was purely sincere. "No. I slept pretty well." She paused but when he didn't comment, she went on. "Thanks again for, well, not making fun of me. I feel kind of stupid now for how I acted."

"Don't. You were scared and didn't want to be alone. I wouldn't make fun of you for that. However, I would like to take this moment to point out that those pyjamas are ridiculously big on you and you look about ten years old. But coming to my bed last night? Nothing funny in that."

He smirked at her but in a gentle, teasing way that made her smile. Being this close to him, with those warm dark eyes and charming dimples, was dangerous. She could feel herself being sucked into the Cohen spell. She'd been there before and gotten burned. Wrenching her gaze away, she searched for something to say. "So Zach is gone," she blurted out inanely.

"Yup. He said something weird before he left."

"Oh?"

"Yeah. He basically said I should sit down and have a chat with you. And look. That's what we're doing. Guess he's psychic or something."

Zach had also said that Summer was still in love with Seth. Was that part of his psychic powers? "Humph," she grunted intelligently.

"He also said something about how I've already won. No clue what he's talking about. Is that supposed to mean something?"

"How would I know?" she snapped.

Seth blinked in apparent surprise at her surly tone. "Uh, I don't know. You were out here for a while talking. I thought maybe it came up."

Gripping the armrests of her chair, she watched the knuckles turn white. She couldn't believe the words that came out of her mouth next. "We broke up." Once they were out there, hanging in the air, she groaned inwardly. It was too late to snatch them back. Despite her horror, she found herself looking at Seth, watching the play of emotions across his face. Shock gave way to a decidedly pleased expression, which quickly gave way to a feigned nonchalance.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah. And don't go doing the happy dance, Cohen. It's not like I'm going to jump back into your arms."

It was brief, but she saw the flash of irritation cross his features. "You didn't seem to mind my arms last night," he pointed out.

He was right. In fact, she had been the one to ask him for the embrace. But it had only been out of comfort and friendship, right? Right?

"Seth…" Her voice trailed off weakly and he took full advantage of the lull.

"Summer, just give me another chance. That's all I ask. And it's not like I'm asking you to get back together with me right away. I mean, you just broke up with Zach fifteen minutes ago. I'm not gonna pressure you to come back to me this second. But I need to know that you've forgiven me. I was a total ass in how I left last summer. I know that. But I still love you. I've never stopped. You know that, right? And no matter how much you deny it, I think you still feel something for me."

He leaned in closer, until he was mere inches away. Though she wanted to draw back, she found she couldn't, frozen into place. "So, first, have you forgiven me for last summer? I've never heard you say it and I need to know."

That was an easy one. The experience had been hurtful but she'd given up her anger. "Yes."

"Good. That's a relief. And now for the million-dollar question. Do you still love me?"

Time morphed out into a strange and elongated eternity as they sat and stared at each other. Her stomach clenched at the same time her mouth went dry, making her swallow uncomfortably. Parting her lips, the one word answer was a low breath of sound. "Yes."

His eyes flickered downwards, focusing on her mouth and he closed his eyes. She knew he was going to kiss her. "Stop," she demanded, though the command was spoken softly.

His eyelids fluttered open and she could read the unspoken question in his eyes. She rushed to get the words out before she lost her nerve. "I do still love you. I admit it, okay? But I'm afraid of trusting you again. Do you remember what I said that night of the carnival? You love to chase after me but once you have me, you take it all for granted."

"It won't happen again." He sounded so earnest. Desperate, even.

"You say that now but I don't know. I don't know if I believe you."

"What can I do to prove it to you? Just name it. I'll do anything."

She began to think. Formulate a possible plan, even as she was speaking. "Anything?"

"Anything," he reiterated. "As long as it doesn't involve water polo or heavy lifting. I'm not into sports or manual labour."

"Point taken. No, I was thinking more like taking things slowly. I mean, really, _really_ slowly." She stretched out the words for emphasis. "Then we'll see what happens. I make no promises. You have to earn my trust back. And I'm not the most trusting person to begin with so you've got your work cut out for you. It's not going to be easy."

"So you're saying that you're willing to give us another chance?" He gazed at her with hope mixed with a smidgen of wonder. "I have no problem with taking it slowly. That's a good plan. Excellent, in fact. Very wise of you."

The corner of her lip twitched upwards in spite of herself. "Yes it is. Flattery is always welcome but don't expect it to be returned. It's a new year, right? So I guess we can try to start clean."

He grabbed her hand, stroking her fingers. "You won't be sorry. I swear. I'll never take you for granted again."

She found her hand being lifted and she wondered what he was doing. The move was a bit clumsy and he ended up kissing her thumb. Her heart melted just a little at the sweet gesture as he gave her a lopsided smile.

"Hey, sorry to break up the moment," called out a cheerful voice.

Withdrawing their hands, they looked up to find Sandy striding towards them. "I was told I'd find you out here, Summer. Good news. The police just called. They found your car."

She looked up at him, amazed. "Already?"

"Yeah. It was just a couple of miles down the road from where it happened. It's been stripped for parts, I'm afraid, but that was expected. But the best news is that your purse was left inside. No cash but everything else was intact, including your credit card and keys."

She chewed on her lip thoughtfully, feeling an automatic sense of relief but wanting to be sure it wasn't premature. "So, that's good, right? It's over now?"

Sandy nodded. "Looks that way. You should still go ahead with getting the locks on your home changed just to be safe but yes, I think it's over. They got what they wanted. Car parts for fast cash." He patted her shoulder for extra reassurance. "Kirsten tells me your father will be back tomorrow so I insist you stay with us until then. You've got nothing to worry about now, okay hon?"

Bobbing her head, she murmured, "Thanks."

As Sandy headed back for the house, Seth turned to her, a bounce in his voice. "That's great news, huh? Not so great about the car but at least you get your purse back."

She tried valiantly to match his enthusiasm but instead, to her utter dismay, she burst into tears instead. Embarrassed, she twisted away from him, but not before she saw the startled look of concern on his face. "Hey, what's wrong?" he asked.

She couldn't answer. Not when she was sobbing into the sleeves of Kirsten's pyjamas. She wasn't upset or unhappy. Sandy's announcement had indeed been good news so why in the world was she crying? She supposed it was just an overwhelming combination of emotions. A lot had happened since she'd ran out of her house last night with no thought but of enjoying the last party of the year.

Thankfully, the crying slowed to a trickle much more quickly than the last time she'd broken down in front of Seth. Though he didn't embrace her as before, she felt his hand rubbing soothing circles across her back. She hiccupped softly and swiped at her eyes with one sleeve.

"Sorry. I seem to be doing that a lot, lately," she said thickly.

"Any particular reason?" He stopped the circling motion but kept his hand steady, just between her shoulder blades.

She shrugged. "Nope." She had no desire to explain the complexities of her emotional state of mind. The response was hardly satisfying but she was pleased that he didn't press her for more.

"Okay. Well, I know how you feel about video games but why not give it a try? It might be therapeutic for you to do some kicking and punching. It's a great stress reliever."

"Is that your professional opinion?"

"Why, yes it is," he replied, with mock seriousness. "Along with lounging around all day in our PJs, eating junk food and watching movies. Sound good?"

Laughing, she got to her feet. "Yeah. As long as there's popcorn."

"Microwave popcorn. It's what I do best. Right up there with reheating Chinese."

As they continued bantering while walking back to the house, Summer slipped her hand into his. A silent indication that she was ready to let go of the past and look towards the future. Seth's chattering flowed on but he gently squeezed her hand and smiled down at her.

It was a new year, after all.

THE END

* * *

A/N: So, I know that conclusion may not be satisfying for some of you but I wanted to end this fic on a somewhat realistic note ie. that Summer doesn't go running back to Seth and bam, everything is perfect. And this fic was always intended to be within the timeframe of a single night and morning so this is indeed, THE END. 

I also want to announce here that I'm going to take a break from writing OC fics. I want to try writing in a new fandom (Phantom of the Opera). The story I have in mind is a long one and I want to have a good portion of it written, if not completely, before I post it so it'll be quite a while before you see anything new from me.

In any case, writing my OC fics has been a blast and I thank you all for your support. Who knows, if my foray into POTO doesn't go well, I may return to the OC sooner than I think. Thanks for reading!


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